The E&H Garden: A Hidden Gem on Campus with Opportunities for Learning, Volunteering, and Fun

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Elysia Moreta

The E&H Garden is an important staple on campus where students can volunteer while getting a chance to work outdoors.

The E&H garden offers students hands-on volunteer opportunities, provides the chance to work outdoors, and distributes produce to the local community.

Deni Peterson, the adjunct professor for organic food production and an organizer of the E&H garden, said, “We grow many different plants, including lettuce, broccoli, peanuts, apples, etc. … We sell these products to different companies and people around the community including Sodexo.”

Students at E&H, through classes and scholarship programs, also have the opportunity to work in the garden, harvesting this produce and completing other tasks.

“We have about 20 students working on the garden in the organic food production class and about 8 working from Bonner. … We work very closely with Bonner and scholars are given the opportunity to work in the garden as their service project,” Peterson said.

The Bonner Scholars aren’t the only organization on campus involved with the garden. In fact, Peterson says that all students are able to volunteer.

“Many groups have already visited including some Greek life groups, mass communications, and the soccer team just to name a few,” she said.

Peterson also says that the COVID-19 safety precautions that the college has implemented on all indoor locations make the garden an appealing alternative.

“The garden is one of the few places that allows students to be outside with other students and to interact with others without a mask,” she said.

Elysia Moreta, a senior and Bonner Scholar who has worked in the garden since her freshman year, enjoys the unique opportunity the garden provides for her.

“It has allowed me to have the opportunity to work with my hands outside of the classroom,” Moreta said. “I do everything for Deni, once she tells me to do something I do it. She works really hard to get people over here, she is in charge of our social media, she’s always working with others.”

The E&H Garden is located behind the Blakemore House, and all students are welcome to volunteer. If students are interested in gardening, there are also classes available to learn about working with organic food.

To keep up with the E&H Garden, students can follow them on both Facebook and Instagram.